Fire-escape



UNITED STATES PATENT @Erica ARTHUR BOEMMEL, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND.

FIRE-ESCAPE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 588,389, dated August 17, 1897.

Application filed May *11, 1896. Serial No. 591.094. (No model.)

To LZZ whom it' may concern: j

Be it known that l, ARTHUR BOEMMEL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Baltimore, in the State of Maryland, `havein vented a new and useful Fire-Escap'epf which the following is aspecification.

' My invention relates toire-escapes, and has for its object to provide a simple, strong, and inexpensive device adapted to be folded or rolled to occupy a small space, whereby it may be placed in a room, under an article of furniture, or in any other convenient position to adapt it for use in an emergency, the same being provided with a plurality of spacingframes of graduated lengths for holding the ladder in an inclined rposition with relation to the plane of the Wall contiguous to Which it is hung.l

rounds 2.

Spacing-frames 3 of different sizes or having side vbars or arms of graduated lengths are arranged at intervals upon the ladder to hold the cables in a position Vinclined to the plane of the Wall contiguous to Whichuthe ladder is supported, whereby thev hooks or grappling-irons Il at the upper ends of the cables may be engaged with a Window-sill or other object, While the ladder proper is held! in such a position as to facilitate descent and prevent swinging. Said spacing-frames are preferably of rectangular construction WithV their front bars arranged contiguous tothe planes of ladder-rounds and secured to the cables, While their rear bars are adapted to rest against the Wall of the building, and the side bars or arms of thespacing-frames increase successively in length toward the bottom of the ladder.

To provide for the folding of the spacingframes, they are loosely or pivotally connected to the terminals of the ladder-rounds, so that the frames Ymay be turned up or down to lie in the plane of the ladder cables and rounds. These foldable frames must be held in place when the ladder is unrolled and adjusted for service, and to accomplish this end I provide the holding ropes orcords 5, two of which are' provided for each frame and which are arranged in a novel and peculiar way to be held 'taut by the tension of the ladder-cables and by theweight of the ladder. Each cord is of a length proper to limit the unfolding movement. of the spacing-frame, and said cords are loosely connect-ed to the cross-bar of the frame, and they have their terminals fastened to the ladder-rounds above and below the round to vwhich the spacing-frame is pivoted. to the spacing-frame, as by loosely coiling or Wrapping the cords around the cross-bar of the frame, and the latter having its side bars loosely fitted on a ladder-round, the spacingfram-e isadapted to turn on the round and to Y slide in the bight of the holding-cords when the ladder is unfolded, so that the strain of the ladder-cables on the holding-cords (which are attached to the rounds) operates to draw the holding-cords taut, and the holding-cords serve 4efficient-ly to hold the spacing-frame in its unfolded position. The spacing-frame is thus maintained in place in a plane substantially at right angles to the length of the ladderand in the horizontal plane of the round to which said frame is attached.

It will be understood that the strain or tension of the ladder cables and rounds serves to strain or pull the holding-cords which extend above and below the spacing-frame ,to which they are loosely attached, and thus the loops or bights of the holding-cords are drawn taut, and the cords hold the spacing-frames in place, the length of each cord being proportioned according to the distance the spacing-frame extendsV from the ladder, so that when the frame turns or unfolds outwardly the cords 5 Will limit the movement of the frame, and

as the cords themselves are drawn taut by -the tension of the ladder cables orchains they hold said spacing-frame in place.

Beginning at the upper end of the ladder the spacing-frames increase iu length successively fromthe top'end of the ladder toward the bottom end thereof, andthe holding-cords The cords being loosely connected ros are also increased in length proportionately to the increased size of the spacing-frames to which they are attached, in order to serve eiiciently in holding said spacing-frames in position.

As shown, the spacing-frames are of ree tangular construction with side arms joined by an integral cross-piece. This construction enables the spacing-frame to be folded upon or against the ladder and in the vertical plane of the cables or rounds thereof, so that the frames may fold eompactly with the ladder.

Vhen the ladder is unrolled or unfolded, the spacing-frames tilt or cant outward from the ladder, and the weight of the ladder and the tension of the cables thereof drawon the cords 5 to maintain the spacing-frames in position approximately at right angles to the ladder. The spacing-frames being increased in length successively from the top toward the bottom the ladder is held in an inclined position against the vertical Wall of a building, so as to facilitate ascent and descent Y thereon.

llaving described my invention, what I Claim is- In a lire-escapo ladder,the combination with iiexible cables and the rounds connected thereto, of the series of spacing-frames which gradually increase in length from the top to the bottom of the ladder and are each loosely attached to the terminals of one of the ladder-rounds, and a pair of holding-cords for each frame, said holding-cords being connected loosely to the outer cross-bar of the spacing-frame and having their respective terminals fastened to theladder-rounds above and below the round on which the spacingframe is mounted, for the purpose described, substantially as set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two Witnesses.

ARTHUR BOEMMEL.

Vitnesses:

AUGUST CLOSE, FRED. ADRIAN. 

